Mike Zimmer, the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, was introduced on Wednesday. Dan Quinn, who is now the head coach of the Washington Commanders, will be replaced by him.
Dallas had performed admirably during the regular season, despite its heavy reliance on subpar quarterback play. The team’s demise would come from a lack of physicality, discipline, and effective run defence after they had appeared to be an All-Decade defence through September. This resulted in a 48-32 defeat to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, which served as a perfect example of these shortcomings and raised the prospect of change.
The goal of Zimmer’s hiring is to try and implement the changes required to elevate the Cowboys defence to the level of a championship team. Fans, however, were worried that Zimmer might cause more harm than good because of rumours that defensive backs coach Al Harris might be involved in the coaching staff switch.
The beloved Harris will be returning in 2024.
“I’m excited to work with him and I’ve heard about all the great work he does,” Zimmer said, regarding Harris.
Few, if any, had a larger impact on the development of cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland than Harris. Both have turned into certified difference-makers thanks to their ability to hunt for turnovers. While that skill can be hard to translate year-over-year, Harris has the backing of his bosses and his understudies.
Harris has been with the Cowboys since 2020. They blocked him from interviewing for a spot on Quinn’s staff in Washington, where some expected him to ultimately land.
After spending 15 seasons in the NFL as a cornerback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, and St. Louis Rams,
Harris immediately made the jump to the coaching ranks. He began as an intern with Miami before spending three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. There, he rose from a defensive assistant to the defensive backs coach. He also spent a year as a defensive assistant for Florida Atlantic University before
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